TNAG-0316-FCO40-352-Reform-of-local-government-of-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 7

Reference

18

Mr. Gammara.

I attach a

selection

of cuthings from the

Hong Kong prors about the URBCO reform proposals.

what little oditorial comment there has boon

9/x1

has not been strongly South China Morning merit's than damarits?

critical

Post

f for example says

the

proposals.

The

Move

The

present

URBCO members do not all welcome

the reforms. The Civic Association with

in URACO

clocked клинивно

the proposal to

club (3 members)

ave

imparing

say

five withdraw the officials

would downgrade the stature of the Comment. The Reform

A

paper setting out their views but it has not yet appeared. & Miss Elliott (independent) says franchise should be expanded, suggests that Government propose to rausfor more and more of the Council's power the question of financial autonomy claims that the

to "advisory bodies

council would be made a

raise rates.

white

paper

مز

and on

scapegout if it were to

or Denny Huang (Independent) says the

"unfair

good for the UK's image

Hangking people and not

ag

a democratic nation.

from the newspapers

The impression :

is really very

get his that there

little interest generally in the

URBCO, and since it has never had more than

and cannot be dovcribed as

very

Limited

powers

a

representative body, this is not surprising.

My heart En

You

Ixi

will wish to su

ANS.

2.110

товки

2/11/71.

(16) d enclosuns onward,

DD 896639 140609 500M 7/71 GM 3643/2